Air regulator



Oct. 20, 1936. I L. w. wlTHRow AIR REGULATOR l Filed June 18, l954` 2 shee'tssheet 1 ATTORNEYS Oct. 20,` 1936. L. w. wlTHRow AIR REGULATOR Filedqune 18, 1934 2 sheets-sheet 2 ATTOR N EYS Patented Oct. 20, 1936 nire stars Aram oFrIeE j l Claim.

This invention relates to draft regulators for steam locomotives and has for the primary object the provision of a device of the above stated character which will materially save fuel both at the time the locomotive is idlingvat a station or roundhouse or when pulling minimum and maximum loads and will provide more efcient combustion of the fuel with less smoke and partially consumed fuel discharged from the locomotive.

With these and other objects in view this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating a draft regulator constructed in accordance with my invention and showing the same applied to a fragmentary portion of a locomotive boiler, the latter being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the location of the draft regulatoi` with respect to the ash pan of the locomotive.

Figure 3 is` an end elevation showing operating p means for the damper plates.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a similar View taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a side elevation illustrating one of the draft boxes.

Figure 'l is an elevational view showing a slide employed on the box shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a side elevation illustrating another or second draft box.

Figure 9 is an elevational view illustrating the slide for the draft box shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a perspective View illustrating another or third draft box.

Figure l1 is a perspective view showing a series of damper plates mounted to a single supporting shaft.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral l indicates a fragmentary portion of a locomotive boiler, the mud ring thereof being indicated by the numeral 2, the latter lying between the inner and outer walls or shells 3 of the boiler and at the base of the latter or where the same joins to the ash pan il. Draft boxes 5, 5, and 'i are secured in the side walls of the ash pan i where the latter joins with the boiler so that air may be directed under the grate bars 8 for passage therethrough into the rire box of the boiler.

(Cl. 11G- 70) The boxes are arranged in spaced relation, as shown in Figure 2, and each consists o-f a cono necting Vwall 8 and a pair of angularly related Walls 9 projecting into the ash pan under the grate. The connecting Walls of the boxes 5 are 5 provided with comparatively large openings 9 having arranged above and below thereto guides l il to slidably support perforated plates Il. The openings 9 may be covered by the plates` H and when desiring to inspect the interior of the ash 10 pan the plates li may be slid endwise to fully uncover the openings 9. Similar openings I2 are provided in the boxes 6 and are covered by slidable perforated plates I3. The connecting walls of the boxes 6 are provided with draft openings 15 i4. The boxes 'i each have an inspection opening l5 normally closed by a pivotally mounted closure plate it. The angularly related Walls of the boxes are notched, as shown at Il, for the reception of damper shafts i8 and the latter extend longitudinally of the boiler and at each side thereof and have secured thereto damper plates i9. The boxes being spaced define therebetween comparatively large damper openings 2B in which operate the damper plates i9, as shown 5 in Figure 5. The boxes are welded or otherwise secured to the ash pan and. the former extend beyond the boiler to form air intake mouths 2| which extend the entire length of the fire box on each side of the latter and aid in directing air 30 through the boxes and the damper openings 2D. The angularly related walls of the damper boxes extend inwardly under the grate bars 8 so that the incoming air will be 4directed towards the center of the re box and away from the side and end walls of the boiler. The incoming air thus directed will assure better combustion of the fuel and materially increase the life of the walls of the boiler.

The shaft I8 are journaled in suitable brackets 40 mounted to some part of the locomotive and each shaft has connected thereto an arm 22, 22' respectively. The arm 22 has adjustably pivoted to its free end a pitman 23 which is pivoted to the stem 24 of a piston 25. The piston is mov- 45 able in a cylinder 26 and steam pressure is directed thereagainst through a throttle controlled steam conducting pipe 29. A bracket 2l suitably supported,-has a centrally pivoted lever 28 thereon and this lever has pivoted to one of its ends a link 50, Whose second and free end is pivoted to the arm 22. The centrally pivoted lever 28 has loosely connected to its free end a link 2 which in turn has its free end pivoted to the arm 22'. Thus it will be seen that when 55 the control throttle is open steam is admitted to the cylinder 26 for acting on the piston 25 to move the damper plates I9 into position for opening the air openings 20 admitting additional air or draft to the kfire of the locomotive. The closing of the throttle of the locomotive brings about the closing of the damper plates I9 decreasing the amount of draft to the re. Thus it will be seen that the operation of the damper plates is automatic in accordance with the throttle of the locomotive which renders a large saving in consumption of fuel due to the direct control of the draft to the i'lre of the locomotive.

Having described the invention, I claim:

A draft regulator for steam locomotive boilers, comprising a series of spaced draft boxes for directing atmospheric air into the ash pan below the fire grate for such boiler, each box comprising an outer straight Wall and parallel side walls which enter the ash pan and said outer straight Walls each having an opening therethrough, an apertured plate guided for manual movement over said outer Walls to cover or uncover the openings therein, the confronting sides of said boxes defining openings therebetween and said sides having aligning notches, a shaft journalled in said notches and carrying damper plates for controlling the air passage through the openings between said boxes and Valve controlled means operative from the steam of the boiler for swinging said shaft to regulate the air passage through said openings.

LOUIS W. WI'I'HROW. 

